9 to 5 for $95

So. I'm an admitted workaholic. It's true, and hey, I'm working on it. Naturally, then, a home office is an absolute necessity for me. The good news is I've got the perfect bedroom corner for the space. Bad news? Not a lot of extra dough.

I smell a Curbly challenge!

Over the past few weeks, I've been to Goodwill and back more times than I'd like to admit. Two trips to Ikea, three to Office Depot, and a jaunt to Salvation Army, and I now present to you:

Nine to Five for Ninety-Five: A Stylish Home Office on a Not-So-Stylish Budget

Here's how I did it:

IKEA Hensvik Bookcase [left of picture]: $59.99

Goodwill desk/chair painted white: $18.00

Goodwill lamp: $4.50

Goodwill mailbox painted black [hanging on wall]: $.50

Office Depot mini-storage unit [on top right]: $3.99

Office Depot file folders [black/white paisley]: $2.99/3 pk.

Goodwill remaining decor [top shelf]: $8.50

Grand Total: $96 [and then some].

Quick tips:

Stick with a color scheme. You can always paint over a mismatched color, but it's easier to thrift when you stick with something consistent. Because you can't match style with a limited budget and time frame, match the color for quick and easy results.

Splurge on the big pieces. I was lucky to get a desk and chair for so cheap. Had I not found these two, I'd recommend checking IKEA for both.

Get creative. I used a goblet for a pen holder, a utensil tray for my desktop, a soap dish for a paperclip holder, and some paper hat boxes for miscellaneous supplies.

Whatever your need, creativity and your nearby thrift store is sure to supply you with top-dollar style!

Tagged:
thrift, desk, home, office, Ikea, goodwill

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February 07, 2007
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erinloechner's blog (332 posts)

About Me: Writer Erin Loechner launched award-winning art/design blog Design for Mankind in mid-2007 in an attempt to bring light to the inspiration found in today’s creative...

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wizodd

December 08, 2007

Remember to check freecycle for those larger items...and anything else you need to scrounge.

http://www.freecycle.org

For that matter, anything you don't need anymore you can post to freecycle and someone else can probably use it.

My momma taught me to never drive past curbside goods without looking closely....

baconthecat

April 16, 2007

Very cute! I love decorating-on-a-budget tips. I also make frequent trips to Goodwill, but it's always a hit or miss. = T I also like your ideas for the pen holder, desktop organizer, etc. Perhaps you could even add a cheap, DIY bulletin board above the mailbox. Great post!

Sydney

February 12, 2007

Congratulations, very well done! Persistence paid off, and your new office looks great!

jasimar

February 09, 2007

Really really fantastic! I love this idea. Ikea does this often, a buy this room for one amazing low price. But you've done it in the real. I digmuch. We should all flaunt our design savvy/sale prowess. Would be great fun.

Keter

February 08, 2007

Hey, congratulations, your great project was picked up on Gawker Media's Consumerist.